Elevator-control system



H. C. RANDALL, DECD.

A. L. RANDALL. EXECUTRIX. ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM. I

APPLICATION nuzo MAR. 20. 1919.

Patented July 27, 1920.

IN VENTOR WITNESS h. C". RAND/ILL 1115 ATTORNEYS 46 H. C. RANDALL, DECD.

A. L. RANDALL. EXECUTRIX- ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1919.

Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR H. C. fiflND/ILL.

HORATIO C. RANDALL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA; ANNIE LOUISE RANDALL EXECUTRIX 0F SA-ID'HORATIO C.

RANDALL, DECEASED.

ELEVATOR-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1920.

Application filed March 20, 1919. Serial No. 283,852.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, HORATIO C. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San F ra'ncisco and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Elevator-(Jontrol, System, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to elevator control systems and particularly to systems in which the operation of the car moving motor is controlled by the positions of the elevator shaft door locks.

An object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the operation of the car moving motor when a shaft door lock is unlocked.

Another object vide means for from being of the invention is to propreventing a shaft door unlocked while the car moving motor is in operation.

Another object of the invention is toprovide means for preventing the operation of the car moving motor until every shaft door is closed and locked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system of the class described in which only one switchis employed which is held in the open position when any shaft door is unlocke The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full, that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings. accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of the apparatus of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as expressed in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure'l is an elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, of an elevator shafthaving two doors equipped with the apparatus of my invention. I

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the door locking means, showing the positions of the parts when the door is locked.

Fig. 3 is a similar cross section showing 'arm 7 is a stop 16 which is parts when the door is ing means with the switch so that the switch is opened when any one of the plurality of shaft doors is unlocked and is held open as long as any shaft door is unlocked. In Fig. 1. the shaft door 2 is shown in the locked position and the door 3 is shown unlocked and partly open. Arranged on each door is a bolt 4 which moves into and out of the case 5 as the door is closed and opened. A case 5 is secured to the elevator shaft at each door and the position of the case with relation to the bolt is fixed.

Pivoted within each case 5 is a lever 6 having three arms, 7, 8 and 9. The arm 7 extends from the'side of the case and the arm 8-projects from the top of the case and is provided with a transversely projecting pin 12. Arranged in the elevator shaft is a,

vertically movable vertical wire 13 which passes through slots or passages in the ends of the lever arms 7. The wire is suspended by a spring 14 or other yielding support, so that it may be moved vertically and is provided on its lower end with a weight 15, which tends to hold the wire 111 its lower position. Secured to the wireabove'each engaged by the arm 7 and raised as the arm is raised, that is, the wire is raised. when any one of the plurality of arms 7 is raised. Arranged in the circuit 17 of the car moving motor 18 is a switch 20 which is opened when the wire is raised and closed when the wire is lowered. The switch is preferably of the sliding contact type, having the fixed contacts 21 and 22 and the sliding contact 23. Insulating sections 24-25 are arranged at 0pposite ends of the sliding contact so that the motor circuit is broken when the sliding contact moves from the fixed contacts. The sliding contact is preferably attached to the wire adjacent its upper end, such positions possessing the advantage that should the wire break or the weight become detached, the spring 14 would open the switch.

Means are provided for preventing the wire from being raised and consequently preventing any lock from being unlocked, when the car moving motor is in operation. Secured to the wire 13 immediately above weight 15 is a toothed bar 45, slidable in a guideway so that it ma not become displaced laterally. Arranger adjacent the toothed bar 45, is a second toothed bar 46 i which is movable laterally into and out of engagement with the bar 45, butso mounted that it is substantially immovable longitudinally. Therefore, when the toothed bars are in engagement, the wire 13 may not be moved vertically. Means are provided for moving the bar 46 into engagement with the bar 45 and holding it in such engagement during the time that the motor 18 is energized. As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 46 is mounted onone end of the bell-crank 47 to the other end of which is attached the core 48 of the solenoid 49 which is connected across the circuit 17. When the circuit is closed the core is raised and the bar 46 moved into contact with the bar 45.

WVhen the circuit is opened, the core falls and pulls the bar 46 out of engagement with the bar 45. Consequently no lock may be unlocked while the motor circuit is closed or when the elevator car is in motion.

The bolt 4 is provided with a notch 26 in which the projection 27 on the lever arm a seats when the door is fully closed, there- 3 open the door, the lever 6 must be moved about its pivot to depress the arm 9 and this motion simultaneously raises the arm 7 and the wire, opening the motorcirouit. The lever is moved about its pivot by any suitable means, that shown in the drawings comprising a shoe 28, mounted'on the elevator car 29 and movable by the foot button 31 into contact with the pin 12 on lever arm. 8. Contact of the shoe with the pin moves the lever about its pivot, raising the wire and unlocking the door.

Means are provided for locking the lever in the position moved to, said lever locking locking the door in closed position. To'

sition of the latch 32 with respect to the notch 26 and projection 27 being such that when the bolt releases the latch 32, the projection 27 moves into the notch 26 locking the bolt in position. When the latch 1s released from the arm 9, the lever is moved by the pull of the weight 15.

To insure the locking of the lever, a latch lever 45, disposed above the bolt, is provided with a notch 35 which engages a pin 36 on the lever .arm 8 when the bolt is withdrawn. \Vhen in this position, the lower edge of the latch 34 lies in the path of the bolt 4, so thatwhen the bolt seats in the case, the latch 34 is raised, the lever moved and the projection 27 moved into the notch 26. The case 5 is provided with an aperture through which the bolt passes and the bolt is provided with a bifurcated end which engages a pin 37 in the case. Instead of arranging the switch 20 in the motor circuit, it may be arranged in a local circuitwith the relay 38, which is arranged to open and close a switch 39 in the motor circuit, as shown in Fig. 4. The switch 39 may be so connected to the relay that it is opened when the relay It is essential only that the switch 39 be opened when the door is unlocked.

The system of my invention is equally applicable to elevators which are operated by hydraulic motors and in Fig. 5 I have shown one application of the system to such motors. The relay 38 in the local circuit operates the switch 39 or other means for alternately rendering the motor operative or inoperative. In the present embodiment the switch 39 controls a circuit containing solenoids 42 which are arrangedto apply and release brakes'43 from a movable part 44 of the hydraulic motor. The connection between the door locks and the brakes is such that when a door is unlocked, the brakes grip the part 44 and when the door is locked, the brakes are released.

I claim:

1. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, means arranged at each door for locking the door in the closed position, and means connecting all of said locks with said switch whereby the unlocking of any door opens the switch.

2. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, means arranged at each door for locking the door in the closed position and a wire operatively connecting said locks and said switch whereby the unlocking of any door opens the switch.

3. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving theoar, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, means arranged at each door for locking the door in the closed position, a vertically movable wire connected to said switch and to said locking means, movement of the wire in one direction serving to open the switch and in the other direction to close the switch, unlocking the door serving to move the wire in the first direction and locking the door serving to move the wire in the second direction.

4. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said. motor, .a switch in said circuit, a

at each door for locking thelock arranged door in the closed position, a Vertical wire arranged in the shaft, a lever connected to each lock and engaging said wire and arranged to move as the door is locked and unlocked, movement of said wire serving to 'close and open the switch.

5. The combination with an elevator shaft having. a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, a

vertical wire arranged in said shaft and 0p eratively connected to said switch, vertical movement of the wire serving to open and close the switch, a lock arranged at each door, means connecting each lock with the wire whereby operation of the lock is accompanied by a vertical movement of the wire.

6. The combination with" an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, a vertical wire arranged in the shaft and connected to said switch, vertical movement of the wire operating to open and close the switch,,a lock arranged at each door, a lever projecting from said lock, said levers being provided with apertures through which the wire passes, a stop on the wire above each lever, the unlocking of the door being accompanied by an upward movement of the lever, means for locking the lever in its raised position and a bolt on the door arranged to engage said door lock and simultaneously open said lever lock.

7. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a car in said shaft, a motor for moving the car, a circuit for said motor, a switch in said circuit, a vertical wire arranged in the shaft and connected to said switch, vertical movement of the wire operating to openand close the switch, a lock arranged at each door, a lever projecting from said lock, said levers being provided with apertures through which the wire passes, a stop on the wire above each lever, the unlocking of the door being accompanied by an upward movement of the lever, a latch arranged to engage and hold the lever in the raised position, a bolt on the door adapted to be engaged by the lock, said latch being so disposed that it is disengaged from the lever by said bolt.

8. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a car in said shaft, a motor for moving said car, a vertically movable wire in the shaft operatively connected to each look so that the unlocking of any lock moves the wire vertically, and means for preventing vertical movement of the wire.

9. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a car in said shaft, a motor for moving said car, a vertically movable wire in the shaft operatively connected to each lock so that the unlocking of any lock moves the wire vertically, and means for holding said wire against movement while the car is in motion.

10. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a car in said shaft; a motor for moving said car, a vertically movable wire in the shaft operativelyfconnected to each look so that the unlocking of any lock moves the wire vertically, and means for holding said wire against movement while the said motor is in operation.

11. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a car 1n said shaft, a motor for moving said car, a circuit for said motor, a vertically movable wire in said shaft operatively connected to each look so that the unlocking of any lock is accompanied by a vertical movement of the wire, means for locking the wire against movement and means connected to the motor circuit for operating said wire locking ,means.

12. The combination with an elevator shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a vertically movable wire in said shaft connected to said locks whereby the unlocking of any lock is accompanied by a vertical movement of the wire and means for holding said wire against such vertical movement.

13; The combination with an elevator I shaft having a plurality of doors, of a lock for each door, a car in said shaft, a motor aeargm any lock is accompanied by a vertical In testimony whereof, I have hereunto movement of the Wire, means operative durset my hand at San Francisco, California, ing the operation of the motor for holding this 11th day of March, 1919.

said Wire against vertical movement, and HORATIO O RANDALI means operative by the vertical movement of the Wire for opening the switch in the In presence of-- motor circuit. H. G. Pnosr. 

